The Impossible Task
by The Cloaked Ghost
Summary: Kid has an ability to trust in anyone's better nature; a trait that doesn't go unnoticed, especially by Lord Death. When a hybrid child - the product of a Reaper/Witch relation - breaks from the spell that kept her bound, it is up to Kid to teach her the ways of the Reaper and keep her from the path of destruction at all costs. Is this task truly impossible?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So I recently finished the anime series and caught up with the manga, and this idea blossomed as if out of nowhere. I'm not sure where I'm going with this, and the history used in this is completely made-up, mind you. So... it'll be a bit of a tricky journey. _Still, _I felt like I had to write it, so why not? I guess I'll carry this story on depending on what feedback I get, so if you've enjoyed it, don't be afraid to leave a review. I might ask for idea help in the future, so who knows, you might be able to have a hand in this odd little creation.

Anyway, that's enough from me. Get on with you, go and read!

Oh yeah, I do not own Soul Eater; however I do own my OC, 'Set.'

* * *

The Impossible Task

_Chapter 1_

In all the years that had passed since the beginning of History, there had always been death and there had always been destruction. Two components in life that worked against each other and yet – at the same time – in perfect harmony.

This sense was something that most people had a problem with understanding, but for the Shinigami, for the Death Gods, it was common knowledge; something that had to be understood. For that knowledge in its simplest form could be considered the very building blocks to the world of which they ruled.

Death the Kidd had no reason to know that this was why he had been called out of lessons that morning, why his father – Lord Death himself – had specifically ordered him to meet in the Death Room, alone, without his weapons, for a very special briefing.

Kid spoke very little with his father, which was why he found it surprising that he had been called out of classes to meet with him. Surely if he was being briefed on a mission, Liz and Patti would have been allowed to join him. Yet here he was, walking the empty halls of the DWMA alone. In silence.

When Kid reached the door to the Death Room, he paused with his knuckles pressed against the frame. Should he knock? He'd never been one for formality when entering before, yet suddenly it felt like the right thing to do. Something about this entire situation felt odd, like he was walking into a trap.

"Come in, Kiddo."

Well, that _was _his father's voice on the other side of the door, yet for whatever reason, the elder Reaper didn't sound like his usual bubbly self. It almost sounded as though something was burdening him.

Still, Kid entered.

"Ah, I'm glad you made it. On time, as always."

Well, if there was one thing Kid was good at, it was punctuality. It was a sidestep from perfection, a relative of order that correlated directly with his infallible obsession for symmetry.

"What is it that you wish to discuss with me, Father?" Kid took up his usual formalities, hands behind him, back straight. The stance that showed he was awaiting orders or instructions of the most crucial cause.

Lord Death turned to face his son, one of his large hands splaying outwards, indicating to the small table behind him; "Let us sit and take tea."

Kid couldn't help the small grimace that caught his lips, "Tea?"

Lord Death nodded, "Yes, tea."

There was a pause before Lord Death spoke again, "Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, not at all." Kid shook his head stiffly, "It's just… I was under the impression that this was an urgent matter."

"And we cannot take tea for urgent matters?" Lord Death questioned.

Kid's mouth opened to speak, but quickly closed again. He could detect his father was smiling behind that mask of his. Insufferable.

"That's what I thought." Lord Death continued, turning his back on his only son, "Now come and sit, like I said. We have things to discuss."

The silence that followed was nothing but awkward for the young Reaper. Kid sat opposite his father, staring at his own untouched cup of tea. Kid had placed it in the direct centre of the table, of course. It seemed everything else on the table was in order as well, perfectly symmetrical. Usually, Kid would have been thrilled with this prospect; except, at that moment, it left him with nothing else to do. He could only sit there and wait for his father to finish slurping his tea, acting perfectly serene, almost as though this 'important one-on-one discussion' was a forgotten memory.

Kid perked up when his father placed his cup onto the table, letting out a sigh. "I suppose you're wondering why I called you here, in the middle of lessons no less."

Kid's eyes softened. Finally, they were getting somewhere. Still, he didn't press. Knowing his father, he would get there in his own time. "The thought crossed my mind, yes."

Lord Death nodded once before picking up his cup and taking another sip. Kid could feel his curiosity spike with every sip his father took. It was becoming nearly impossible not to urge his father onwards.

Finally, the cup was finished. Leaving no further distractions, Lord Death began to speak.

"I'm sure you're familiar with the history of the Grim Reapers and their on-going rivalry between the witches."

Kid raised a brow and nodded lightly. This was odd, why was his father speaking about this of all things?

Lord Death splayed his hands out in front of him; it seemed he was finding this conversation equally as disconcerting, "Our history is long, filled with twists and turns in many areas. Some of which never made History books and most certainly never made it to your ears."

Kid's gaze only hardened, "What do you mean by that?"

"You're growing up, Kiddo and… well…" Lord Death looked away for a brief moment, paused, then looked back to his son, "After a conversation with some people, I have come to the decision to tell you a few things that… that may shock you."

Kid's interest in the conversation grew exponentially. Usually, Kid respected his father's needs for secrecy. He was 'Lord Death' after all; it was just something he had to expect of his father. However, the sheer ineptness of this conversation was almost fascinating. What could it possibly be that his father found the need to keep secret, to label as 'shocking' no less? He'd already explained the 'Dark Times' to Kid, the some eight hundred years ago when his father had adjourned a darker mask and with it, a much less forgiving nature. What could possibly be more shocking than that?

"How shocking?" Kid found himself asking.

Lord Death chuckled, but it didn't take its usual form, it sounded strained; "Shocking enough."

Kid pondered this for a few moments, his golden eyes glazed as he stared at nothing in particular.

"Would you like me to explain?"

Kid didn't hesitate, "Yes."

Lord Death took a deep breath before letting out an even longer sigh. He looked to his son behind his mask, simply hoping that he would forgive him for the secret that was about to be revealed uncharacteristically coolly from across the tea table.

"Many years ago, before you or even I had come to be, there was a different system."

Kid raised a brow, "How so?"

"Before weapons were created, it fell upon Reapers and Reapers alone to exact justice upon the bad in the world. In the past, it was the Reaper's duty to not only construct the list of the unjust, but to exact their punishments also."

Kid nodded slowly, "I believe you've told me this before."

"Yes. I have." Lord Death nodded towards his son, "However, I didn't tell you why this changed. You see, in the past, there was not just a single Reaper in charge of these decisions. Much like the witches, Reapers had a jury that together made the decisions on who was fit and unfit for this world."

"It makes sense." Kid said, more to himself, "Especially if you put into consideration all the bad that can be present in the world. There would need to be more than one Reaper in charge."

"Exactamundo!" Lord Death said, trying to keep a positive air to the conversation. He cleared his throat before continuing, "Anyway, during this time, Reapers would have been deposited to take care of any looming threats. Those also included the witches. Their destructive nature was ever present, even so long ago. There were less of them, but they still proved a threat to this world." This was when the conversation took a different atmosphere. Lord Death lowered his voice, looking directly at his son through his impractical mask. "I now speak of one Grim Reaper only, a Reaper that was just like you or I. He took his orders from the jury. He exacted the punishments to those who deserved it, to those that made the list."

Kid felt wary for his father's next words. It seemed the entire atmosphere had changed without him giving much notice. Still, he kept an avid interest.

"However, this Reaper that I speak of developed an _unhealthy _bond with one of his victims. He – in fact – went on to mate with this victim unbeknownst to the Reapers of the court."

"_Mate?_" Kid sputtered. It was unheard of, for a human and _especially _for a Reaper to _ever _feel romantic desires for one of the unjust, especially someone working their way to becoming a full Kishin.

Lord Death raised a hand, "I told you this would be shocking." He said, "Do you still wish for me to continue?"

Kid let out a shuttering breath before nodding, "Yes. I want to know more."

Lord Death nodded, "Very well." He allowed a small pause for Kid to gather himself before he continued, "The Reaper court didn't find out about this 'bond' until it was much too late. By this, I mean, the supposed victim of the Reaper had fallen pregnant, bearing his child."

Kid did all he could not to let his jaw drop at the information that was now being delivered. He'd asked for it after all and he had to show that he was capable of understanding. If his father thought it crucial he knew this, he had to wait it out, he had to listen until the very end of the tale. Still, one question remained in the front of his mind. A question he didn't want to know the answer to, yet at the same time, he knew it was essential.

"Father…" Kid began, already feeling an uneasy knot tying in his stomach, "Who was she?"

"Her name was Genevieve." Lord Death said matter-of-factly, "And she was a witch."

Kid blinked quickly to calm himself, to stop himself from yelling out at that very moment. He had been taught the rules of a Reaper, the duties that they were to perform. He knew right from wrong, order from chaos and yet… he _couldn't _understand this.

"H-How?" Kid trembled, "_Why?_"

Lord Death shrugged, "I'm not sure, I don't think anyone knew to be honest." He let out a deep sigh.

Kid's head shot up then, his eyes bright with a sudden revelation, "And the child?" He asked, "Did it…?"

"Yes, it survived." Lord Death said, "The baby was born a girl, beautiful and radiant. A true Reaper."

Kid sensed it before it even came, "But…?"

Lord Death's shoulders heaved, "But, she couldn't be trusted and nor could the parents that bore her. Her father and mother were both sentenced to death."

Kid felt a shudder run through his body, "So the girl was…?"

"Oh, no, of course not." Lord Death said, shaking his large hands at his son.

Kid's back stiffened as he stared at his father quizzically, "Then what?"

"She was… apprehended. Truthfully, she had committed no crime. She didn't fit the list." Lord Death paused a moment, staring into his empty tea cup, "The Reapers didn't know what to make of her. It seemed she had the right amount of Reaper DNA to bear all the right characteristics to someday become a true one. She could - in theory – awaken, just like any other."

Lord Death sighed, "But things are never simple, for you see, the girl also held the DNA of Genevieve the witch and… at a young age, she exhibited _magical _ability."

"Is that even possible?" Kid asked, his heart racing, "To be… to be both witch _and _Reaper?"

"Well, her magical abilities were never strengthened to that of a true witch, but, it did raise the question of what would happen when she came of age. I'm sure you're more than aware of a witch's natural destructive desire. They have no control over it; it is simply a part of their nature."

Kid nodded, only half following at this point. His father had told him the fates of both the child's mother and father, yet she herself had not been sentenced to death; but there was no way the Reapers would have allowed a Reaper/Witch hybrid loose onto the world. It would have created chaos.

Kid swallowed, suddenly sickened by the presence of the tea that sat in front of him. He glanced away, feeling himself pale, "What happened to the girl then?"

Lord Death stood up from the table and drew away from his son, suddenly taking an interest with the simulated sky above their heads, "She was bound, frozen if you will by a powerful witch's spell."

"Witch's spell?" Kid repeated, standing up also, but not finding the strength to move closer to his father.

Lord Death nodded, folding his arms behind his back, "You see, for a small moment, the Reapers and witches found common ground, that is, the hatred of the hybrid child that had been created. They both wanted her gone, the witches wanted to destroy her entirely, but the Reapers wouldn't allow it. Therefore they met in the middle. They bound her inside a crystalline substance, effectively freezing her. She wouldn't age and wouldn't die. She'd simply exist and nothing more."

Kid stared at his father, wide eyed. In many ways he considered that a fate worse than death. To never move forward, to be simply caught in one moment of time, stretching on for eternity. Suddenly, Kid felt weak. The information was simply too much. He pressed a palm against his head and let out a sharp sigh through his teeth. There was one more question that needed to be asked.

"Why tell me this?"

Lord Death was silent for a long while. He didn't look at his son, he didn't even move. In some ways, Kid was grateful for this silence. He needed to snap out of this odd sensation that had overcome him. Fear? Was that it? No… too simple. It was almost like a kind of lethargy had settled inside of him. Yes that was it. No matter how embarrassing it was, it seemed that the information in itself had managed to exhaust him.

"I told you, Kiddo, simply, because the spell is wearing off." Lord Death stated as calmly as he could manage, "It has been going strong for long after a millennia, no one is sure of exactly how long in fact. It has come to my attention that soon, this girl will be freed from her prison. And Kid, this is where your mission comes into light."

Finally, Lord Death turned to his son. There was a strained look about his mask, like he feared the outcome of the words he was about to speak. Lord Death took a step forward, then stopped, debating his actions. "Kid, your mission… your _duty _is to take custody of the hybrid child."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Just a quick chapter to introduce my OC and give you just a tad bit more history. Thank you to those of you that favourited/reviewed, please don't hesitate in leaving a review if you liked the chapter or think there's something I can do to make it better. I hope I kept Kid and Lord Death in character, so without further a-do, here is chapter two!

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_Chapter 2_

Silence washed over the room in the moments that passed after Lord Death's final statement. Kid stood perfectly still. His breath caught in his chest the moment he tried to speak against his father, when no words came, he remained mute, his lips pressed tightly together.

"I understand this would come as a shock-"

Kid snorted, unable to contain himself. He nodded quickly, not daring to look his father in the eye, "A _shock? _You've just told me that there's a girl who has been left in stasis for over a thousand years with both witch _and _Reaper DNA _and _if that wasn't enough – the spell that has kept her bound is now wearing off, leaving me in charge of this potential threat. Father, how exactly would _you _react in this given situation?"

Lord Death remained unmoving, "Kid… You know I would only ask this of you if I truly believed it was for the best."

"_How _is this for the best?" Kid sputtered.

"_Because._" Lord Death rounded on his son, moving towards him at such a speed that Kid actually stumbled back a few feet in response.

Lord Death loomed over his son; his mask staring eerily into the younger's golden eyes. His voice softened to compensate for his actions, "Because, Kid, despite what I have told you, despite all that you have learned from me… despite the _rules, _you still see the best in people."

Kid scowled, though it proved to have little effect on the elder Reaper, "She is a hybrid creature that shouldn't exist."

"And yet you only called her a _potential threat._" Lord Death countered, his voice reaching its ridiculous tone once more, "Any other Reaper faced with a hybrid child with such destructive power would have wished for her immediate slaughter, however you only went as far as calling her a _potential threat, _and as for questioning my reasoning… well, you _haven't._"

Kid opened his mouth, but found no words forthcoming. Was it true? Had he really just gone against everything he had been taught? No, surely not. He was simply being a good son, trusting in his father's better judgement… right?

But even then, shouldn't he have taken the hint? Shouldn't he have called this hybrid more than just a potential threat, after all, she was, wasn't she?

_Wasn't she?_

Kid slumped in defeat, "What did you mean by 'custody?'"

"That's more like it!" Lord Death brightened, "By 'custody' I mean that you are to look after this girl. If she were anyone else, I may have allowed her to remain in one of the guest rooms at the DWMA, but I cannot trust her to be left alone."

"Then why not look after her yourself?" Kid asked, his eyes burning with sudden revulsion, "Or better yet, why not _destroy _her?"

Lord Death held a hand up towards his son, "Now, now, there's no need to raise your voice. I can't look after her; I have a job to do. As well as that, I am not entirely sure I could trust myself with the company of such an… _abomination _of nature."

Kid shuddered at the change of his father's tone. He had to remind himself, his father was 'Lord Death'. Before he had built the DWMA, he had been feared by everyone, he was in charge of their fates after all. He had been a different man once and though Kid liked to believe he was kinder now, there were times when his father truly frightened him.

"And as for the second option," Lord Death carried on, his voice calmer than before, "You know very well why we cannot kill her. She has done nothing as of yet to prove herself as our enemy."

"And locking her back up with the same spell is impossible, I take it?" Kid questioned.

Lord Death sighed in defeat, "Yes. We cannot make a pact with the witches again, they could very well use it as a bargaining chip to gain their own way in the future."

Kid didn't like the option he was faced with, but after asking all the necessary questions, he couldn't see how he was to get out of it.

After letting out a long sigh, Kid looked up to meet his father's mask, "What should I tell everyone?"

Lord Death shrugged, "The truth, if you'd like. It is really up to you what you tell them. This mission is entirely yours, you may handle it whichever way you like."

Kid thought about this for a moment before shaking his head, "And there's really no other way?" He asked.

Lord Death lowered his head, "I'm sorry, Kiddo."

Kid nodded and dug his fists into his pockets, "Where is she?"

Lord Death perked up, "I keep her in the bowels of the Academy in a room that only I know the path to. She has had to remain close to me, simply because every decade or so, I make sure the spell has remained intact."

Kid nodded, feeling light headed, "How long until the spell breaks entirely?"

"With the state it's in now, the spell could deteriorate with the simplest touch; its stability has been questionable for some days now."

Kid's eyes glazed over, his jaw hardened, "Very well."

Lord Death looked down to his son and smiled, "Would you like to see her?"

Kid hesitated, "What about class-"

"I've taken the liberty of removing you from lessons for the entirety of the school day." Lord Death informed, hooking a large hand around his son's back, "Now, if you wouldn't mind, please follow me."

* * *

It felt strange to Kid, following his father down the halls like he were a child awaiting some form of punishment. Although Lord Death had tried to keep the air light with meaningless conversation, Kid was having none of it. He had always been accepting of his father's secrets, but now that one had been revealed to him, he somehow felt betrayed, more so due to the fact that this secret was now going to rest in _his_ hands. Kid had always followed his father, he had always known right from wrong, but now he had been given charge of caring for the ultimate wrong. A hybrid that shouldn't possibly exist, yet here she was, in the bowels of his father's Academy no less.

Kid lost track of the time he had been walking for. The dungeon halls all looked the same to him and though he knew this Academy better than most, there were places that were off-limits even to the son of Lord Death himself. Kid had never been this far inside the Academy before; everything was darker and far less well kempt than the rest of the Academy. If this had been any other day, Kid would have been obsessing over the cleanliness of the halls, but his obsessive compulsion never kicked in. It was far too buried beneath the nerves that were building inside of him, all because of one little girl.

Finally, Lord Death stopped, forcing Kid to stop along with him. Kid glanced up from where he'd been staring at the cobbled floors and noticed that they were standing in front of a large brass door. Brandished on the door were many kinds of locks, from bolts to simple padlocks. The door - as opposed to the hallway it kept company with - was spotless and obviously in well use.

"Once a decade you say?" Kid said sardonically, a smirk betraying his cool exterior.

Lord Death shrugged, "I may have been checking in on her a little more than that in the given weeks; for quite some time I have sensed this spell's use was coming to an end."

As Lord Death fiddled with a set of keys, Kid stole a few looks from behind his father's back. An assorted wave of very different emotions washed over him all at once. Fear, worry, anger, confusion, _excitement. _Excitement? Was that right? Kid blew out a breath and steadied himself as his father placed the final key into the last padlock.

"Ready?" He asked, turning his mask towards his son.

Kid remained silent, nodding once to give his acknowledgment.

"Very well." And with that, Lord Death placed one of his large hands across the door and with a simple push, the door fell open.

The moment the door fell away, all the air escaped Kid's lungs.

The room in itself wasn't spectacular, a simple dungeon with nothing but dust to accumulate its vast space. No, what astonished Kid was the large mass of pink tinged crystals that formed in the right hand corner. They were strange crystals, giving an impression of living material, as if they had grown from the very walls themselves to encase the body that lay within.

The crystals had evidently fallen away in places, showing shattered remains lying about the gradually collapsing frame.

But that was the least astonishing thing that the room had to offer, for in places the crystals had fallen away to reveal a face within the vast structure. A face – not of a small child like Kid had somewhat expected – but of a teenage girl.

Kid looked to his father, his golden eyes filled with shock, "She's…"

"Fourteen I believe, maybe fifteen." Lord Death surmised. He looked to Kid's face, his expression showing utter bewilderment, "Did I forget to mention that she wasn't trialled until her teenage years?"

Kid blinked, "I think I might have remembered such a _crucial _piece of information." Kid looked back to the teen encased within the pink rock, "She's… she's old enough to be a student here… why did it take so long for her to be imprisoned?"

"Ah." Lord Death folded his arms behind his back, "You see, the Reapers needed to justify their actions, so they waited for her to show destructive tendencies, those to be expected of a young witch. She had been kept as a prisoner among the Reapers before then… I'm not entirely sure how well she was treated. Still-"

"_Destructive _tendencies?" Kid reiterated, "So she _is _a threat?"

"She doesn't hold the same potential as a normal witch," Lord Death soothed, "However, that isn't to say she couldn't use her Reaper abilities to achieve the same means."

"All the same," Kid sputtered, "Why are you trusting _me _with her?"

"Like I said before," Lord Death surmised, "It is because you can see the best in people, something that I cannot acclaim for myself. You are the best person I know to look after this girl, to keep her from the path of destruction."

Kid only half heard what his father was saying over the thundering of his own heart. He stared at the pale face of the girl he realised he was now to be in charge of. A girl he was supposed to _teach. _

The crystals had fallen away around her hair, revealing pale blonde locks, almost white that fell just below her shoulders. Her features were slight and slim and even though she was held in stasis, she still held the radiant beauty that every Reaper possessed.

And then, atop the crown of her head all the way to her parted fringe, were three steady black lines. The lines of Sanzu, only half completed on the right side of her head.

"You said she had the potential to awaken." Kid said, staring directly at the girl's hair.

"Yes, I did." Lord Death said.

"Did you mean that to be a bad or a good thing?" Kid asked, glancing towards his father.

Lord Death shrugged, "Only in time will we know for sure."

Kid's heart sank. _Great. _That was reassuring. He didn't know who this girl was, he didn't know what she was capable of and now he realised he was going to be doing a lot more than _looking after her. _His mission wasn't to babysit a hybrid child; it was to teach a teenage girl how to be a Reaper. It was to keep a girl he knew nothing about from her destructive nature. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Kid realised that his mission in its entirety was to keep the girl that stood in front of him from a most unpleasant death by his own father's hand.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This chapter is rather short, but it took me quite a while to get it right. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! Also, a big thank you to those who have reviewed/favourited/followed my story! It really keeps my motivation levels high and makes me feel like this story has a purpose on this website. Please carry on what you're doing and I'll see you next time. x

* * *

_Chapter 3_

"Well? Don't just stand there!" Lord Death urged his son forwards with one of his large hands, a gesture that wasn't much appreciated by the younger Reaper.

"What?" Kid asked, shooting his father a curious glance, "What am I supposed to do?"

Lord Death heaved a condescending sigh, "Oh, Kid. It's as though you never listen to me at all." Kid glowered at his father, but Lord Death chose to disregard it, "Like I said before, the spell is weak; a simple push should do the trick."

Kid turned towards his father, eyes wide, "You want me to break it? _Now?_"

"What better time than the present?" Lord Death beamed behind his mask, gesturing towards the large mass of crystalline rock, "Now, I can't be sure what the effects will be for her, she _has _been encased for quite some time, a variety of things could happen once the spell is broken."

"That's reassuring." Kid said through his teeth as he turned his attention back to the imprisoned girl. Sucking in a deep breath, Kid moved forwards with evenly spaced steps. He wasn't entirely sure how to approach the situation; it was like he was advancing on a sleeping tiger. _Anything _could set it off. He swallowed hard.

When Kid was within reaching distance, he lifted his arm out towards the crystal. As his outstretched hand moved towards it, he caught sight of the girl's face once more. So still, so serene.

_What will she be like when I restore her? _Kid thought to himself warily, _Will she remember who she was?_

As the thought came to mind, a shiver ran down Kid's spine as his fingers brushed against the cool crystal.

The moment he had made contact, everything shifted.

The crystals that surrounded the entire right hand area of the dungeon suddenly collapsed in on themselves, crumbling away like a pink-tinged waterfall. The small shards that remained fell to the floor, spreading around Kid's feet as if they had a mind of their own. Each piece rolled a significant distance before evaporating into dust, leaving only one thing in their place.

The girl, her body draped in nothing but a sleek white gown.

For a moment, she just stood there; still as a statue. Her eyes remained closed, her body absent of any real life. For a brief second, Kid wondered whether the spell had left a lingering effect on her. Maybe she was comatose; maybe she was already dead.

Then, like a shot to his chest, the girl's eyes snapped open, bringing life to all of her at once.

Her eyes were a strange colour, golden, but not as bright as Kid's, more subdued. They swirled ominously, and for a moment that seemed to stretch itself out endlessly, all they seemed to do was stare into Kid's, capturing him in an almost hypnotic stance.

Then, her gaze shifted, first to wash over the rest of Kid's features, then to the dungeon that surrounded her and finally, to Lord Death himself, standing quizzically in the door frame.

Her eyes narrowed as she met the lifeless features embedded on Lord Death's mask.

Kid remained where he stood, not a few inches from the girl he had just released. He kept his hands behind his back, remaining in an upright stance. He didn't hasten to recompose himself; any sudden move he made may have proven him a threat to the girl. He simply couldn't be sure of her mental functions, of what she remembered from captivity, of what she was _capable _of.

Then, in a flash, the girl's lips rippled, her mouth forming a crazed grimace that revealed a set of very sharp, very dangerous looking teeth. Kid fought the urge to back away. He couldn't do anything to provoke her, not when he didn't know the outcome of his actions.

The girl sneered, her tongue snaking out from behind her teeth, grazing her lips in a perplexing form of curiosity.

Then, she spoke.

"_Reaper_."

With little warning, her hand lashed out in blind fury. Kid sidestepped the attack only barely, but his eyes remained still, not giving away any true emotion to the seething girl that stood before him.

In a flash she was in front of him again, her hands lashing out, her fingers outstretched, wishing to do any form of harm that she could possibly manage.

But, her moves were lacking in any form of structure, she was uncoordinated and confused leaving Kid ably dodging each attack that she made without a second thought. In just thirty seconds, the fight was over and the girl collapsed onto her knees, panting excessively into the stone floor.

"Interesting." Lord Death said from his viewpoint inside the doorway, "It seems the crystals have been doing more than keeping her comatose, they must have been sapping her energy and with that, her power_._"

Kid looked down at the grovelling mess on the stone floor; he felt curious yet at the same time repulsed by her very presence at his feet, "I assume her power will return?"

"Oh yes, without a doubt. Couldn't tell you how soon though."

Kid nodded, "What should I do with her?"

"Give her time to calm down." Lord Death decided, "Maybe she'll be more rational with a few moments to process what has happened."

Kid grimaced; by the look she had given him when their eyes met… he highly doubted it. The girl remembered everything; it came clearly by the way she had identified them both as Reapers the moment she had set eyes on them. Kid sighed as he looked down at the girl, still panting heavily on the ground. He frowned before turning away from her, meeting his father in the doorway, "I'll take her to Gallows Manor when she has regained her breath."

Lord Death nodded, "Very well. I'll be sure to check up on you both regularly, make sure to keep a mirror nearby at all times."

And with that, Lord Death disappeared down the halls, leaving Kid alone with the strange hybrid that was now his responsibility and his alone.

* * *

After some time, the girl's breath regulated and she managed to prop herself into an upright sitting position. Her head remained downwards, however, allowing her hair to form a perfect barrier around her face.

Kid looked down at her, bemused. Right now, she posed no threat; her power had been sapped along with her energy. However, that wasn't what concerned him. Not at that moment at least.

Kid stifled the urge to dust the place where he was about to sit as he dropped to his knees.

He stayed in that position for a time, simply taking in the girl's appearance. Her body was trembling; her hands had fisted clumps of the oversized gown she wore against her knees. She was exhausted and defenceless. Kid knew the feeling quite well.

"You know what I am?" The question came out before Kid could think it over. The girl stiffened as if she'd only just realised his presence.

"Yes." Her voice was ice, but it didn't faze Kid in the slightest.

"And you know what you are."

The girl paused, her body frozen. Then, she nodded, a single shudder running down her back, "Yes."

"A hybrid." Kid said carefully.

"An _abomination._" The girl shot back. This time, she did look up; her hair that brandished her face fell away, leaving a cruel smile in its place, "They imprisoned me for fourteen years." The wrath fell away suddenly. Her eyes welled with tears that she quickly swiped away, "One day, I got angry. Angry at how they treated me, at how they _looked _at me." She kept her gaze away from Kid's, instead taking an interest with her own upturned palms, "The anger welled inside of me and before I knew what had happened, there was a hole in my cell." She let out a shuttering breath, "That was when they froze me. For being a _monster._"

"You tried to escape?" Kid asked, keeping his tone calm and precise, "You destroyed your cell?"

The girl laughed, a terrible crooked sound. She shook her head, "I didn't try to escape. I am a creature that shouldn't exist, a vile mockery upon nature itself. My mother and father were murdered for what they were. I am no different." She looked at Kid then, her lips twisting into a frown, "So no, I didn't try to escape. I stayed, but they still accused me of having what was it?" She laughed again; colder this time, "Oh yes, that was it. _Destructive tendencies. _It was all they needed to confine me to my 'everlasting' prison."

Kid nodded.

"But it didn't last forever, did it?" The girl said through her teeth, gaining a new sense of anguish, "Here I sit, knelt before a filthy Reaper no less."

"I didn't confine you." Kid said carefully, wary with how much he revealed, "What happened to you… it has been long-since buried beneath history."

"All the same." The girl said coldly, her eyes narrowed as they looked deep into Kid's. There was rage within her, so much anger that needed to be released. Kid stifled a sigh of discontent. She would no doubt prove herself to be a handful. "You are the child of a Reaper, and he the same. Each generation going back to the moment I was imprisoned." She laughed drily, "Say what you like, your ancestors did this to me."

"They didn't understand you." Kid said evenly, "They saw you as a threat."

"Because of my nature." The girl recited distastefully, "Yes, I'm fully aware of that."

"But things have changed," Kid pressed on, determined for her to see the point he was trying to make, "The Reaper court doesn't exist anymore, there is a new system. Only one Reaper takes charge of the list."

The girl laughed, truly humoured this time, "Of course! You expect me to believe only one Reaper deals with all the unjust in this world? You expect me to think that one Reaper is powerful enough to destroy every Kishin, every…" she paused for a moment, looking away again, "Every witch?"

Kid bit his lip. She was exhausted and had over a thousand years of history to catch up with. She wouldn't trust him, not even if he told her all that had changed. So, he decided upon the truth.

"I have been instructed to take care of you." Kid said matter-of-factly, "To teach you the true ways of a Grim Reaper."

"Don't make me laugh," the girl scoffed, "As if you would do that for an abomination."

"You're not an abomination." Kid stated softly.

The girl looked up to him, true confusion in her gaze.

Kid let out a sigh, rolling his eyes as he did so, "A mistake, perhaps. But even so, you are something new. Something that the Reapers before me couldn't understand."

The girl grinned, her sharp teeth sparkling in a non-existent light, "You wish to understand me?"

"I wish to do what is right. My father entrusted me with this mission and I won't let him down." Kid gathered himself before lifting himself up off the floor. He subconsciously brushed away at the dirt on his trousers as he glanced back to the girl in front of him, "I don't want to hurt you, but right now, you're rather defenceless." He pointed out, a small smile playing on his lips, "I will ensure that you get to my home one way or another, it's up to you whether we do it the easy way or the hard way." With that said, Kid extended his hand to the hybrid on the floor, his eyes sparking menacingly into her own, "What do you say?"

The girl laughed, "On any other day I'd challenge that statement." She purred before her shoulders heaved in defeat, "Though I suppose with you having the upper hand I'll have to take you up on that offer."

Kid quirked a brow, "So you'll come quietly?"

The girl shrugged, "As long as you stay true to your word." She looked up to Kid, only then taking him in for all his worth. A smile crossed her lips, "You're different from the others, aren't you?"

Kid's gaze hardened, "What do you mean?"

The girl lifted her hand, placing it onto Kid's, "I see the disgust in your eyes, but it's tiny in comparison to all that you offer." She smiled as Kid strengthened his grip on her hand, pulling her to her feet. She nodded and brushed herself down just as Kid had done, "You have a kind soul."

"As opposed to what?" Kid asked, truly interested as he let go of the hybrid's hand.

She smiled, her eyes sparkling, "The tormented ones I saw in those that kept me captive. The pain that can only come with years of exacting justice, killing, keeping balance." She glanced towards the empty doorway, "Like the one in the mask. So much sadness… so much rage."

Kid chose not to speak against the girl; after all, what she had said was true enough. His father was dangerous and once upon a time, he had been truly terrifying.

Would that be him someday, Kid wondered. When he took over for the next generation, would he feel what his father felt? That thought chilled him to the very core.

Kid grabbed the hybrid's arm a little roughly and pulled her to his side, "Stay close." He instructed, "The halls are like a labyrinth down here, and I'd like to remain unseen when we get above ground."

The girl rolled her eyes, "Of course, whatever you say." She sang, laughing gratingly as she was dragged from the place that had been her prison for long over a thousand years, dragged out into the light, a new world with a new system. Yes, only time would tell whether she would cope.

* * *

Additional A/N: One of the reasons why this chapter took me so long was because I was trying to get the dialogue just right. She's got a good side and a bad side and I was trying to get a bit of a witch's attitude in there with the way she spoke to Kid. Hope I didn't disappoint! x


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Soul Eater;

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_Chapter 4_

Kid led the girl through the twisting corridors that made up the lower levels of the DWMA with little difficulty. The only thing he was finding problematic was the speed in which he was forced to move at.

His father had been right about the crystals having an energy sapping effect, for the girl seemed to grow slower by the second. She trailed behind painfully and Kid found himself turning around one too many times just to make sure she was still within sighting distance. Every time he was faced with her, he could see her exhaustion all too clearly. By the time Kid had turned to check on her again, she had come to a complete standstill; her body was hunched over, her right arm keeping her balanced against the musty stone walls.

Kid could see the problem he would be faced with before it had even happened. If she could barely walk now, there was no way he would be able to stealthily extract her from the school and take her to the mansion. Someone was bound to see her, if not in the school itself then definitely on the walk back to the manor.

"This feeling…" the girl began, her excessive panting making it hard for Kid to understand what she was saying, "It's… inconvenient."

"You'll regain your strength soon enough." Kid said coolly, though he felt anything but. What _would _happen when she got her strength back? If her attitude was anything to go by, Kid couldn't be sure of how she'd react when she was finally rejuvenated. Yet another factor that could prove itself problematic for his father's ideal plan.

Kid stood awkwardly in the hallway as he waited for the hybrid to regain her breath. Once she had done so, she pulled herself away from the wall, hooked her arms around her chest and carried on. She didn't look to Kid as she walked towards him and instead moved her gaze downwards as she continued to follow him through the winding halls.

After a few more breaks and a further uncomfortable silence, the pair managed their way into the main halls of the DWMA. Fortunately, classes were still in session, leaving the corridors peacefully quiet. Kid gestured towards the direction of the main doors, waiting a moment for the hybrid to catch her breath again before they moved onwards.

"You won't make it to the mansion at this rate." Kid muttered, more to himself than anything. Still, the girl perked up when she heard him speak.

"Mansion?" She asked carefully before rolling her eyes, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. All Reapers must live like kings."

Kid didn't grace that statement with a response and instead continued with his previous thoughts, "If you're really struggling, I suppose we can use another means of transportation."

The girl didn't respond, it seemed she was using too much of her concentration to keep balanced than to actually listen to what Kid had to say.

When they made it into the sunlight, the hybrid shied away instinctively. She caught her forearm around her eyes and let out a jarring breath. Kid glanced in her direction before sighing, "I suppose you haven't seen that in a while."

The girl narrowed her eyes and removed her arm from her face. She balled her hands into firm fists and, with one fluid move, stepped out into the sun. It felt abrasive against her skin, but also warm. She hadn't felt the sun's rays in such a long time… it was nice.

As they descended the steps of the Academy, Kid glanced back to the hybrid, "How are you fairing?"

The girl gritted her teeth, pulling a hard grimace, "How do you think?" She growled, almost tripping from the effort.

Kid rolled his eyes, "Don't worry, we'll use another means of transport for the rest of the journey."

The hybrid lifted her head, curiosity shining through her eyes, "What do you mean?"

Kid didn't answer; instead, he lifted out his arm as he reached the bottom of the stairs. The moment he had done so, a flash of light emanated from his palm, spawning a sleek black skateboard into his hand.

The girl almost fell over in surprise, her eyes widened, "How'd you do that?" she gaped, then frowned, "What _is _that thing?"

"Beelzebub." Kid replied simply, toying with the skateboard in his hands, "This will be a much more efficient form of travel for your weakened state."

The girl quirked a brow, "I don't think I'm following…"

"Here, let me show you." Kid dropped the skateboard on the floor and stepped onto it. He lifted out an arm for the hybrid to take, looking away as he did so, "You're going to have to hold on to me."

The girl didn't move and for a while, Kid wondered whether she'd even accept his offer. Maybe he'd have to forcibly drag her through town; now _that _would be a sight worth seeing.

After a few minutes that spanned from the girl analysing the skateboard, staring at Kid and then finally gawking in the direction that they were supposed to be heading, she finally sighed, defeated.

"Fine." She muttered.

The hybrid stepped onto the skateboard behind Kid and, very gingerly, she wrapped her arms around his back. It didn't feel natural to Kid – having a creature that shouldn't exist in such close proximity. Still, he couldn't do anything about it. He'd made a promise to his father; he'd made a promise to himself. He had to do this.

The girl felt just as repulsed by the close-quarters she was keeping with the Reaper. She had made no promises to this child; he was quite simply the relative of the very creatures that had kept her imprisoned. Maybe she had been a burden to society, maybe she had been a monster, but all the same… she had never been deserving of the treatment the other Reapers had given her. Being close to this Reaper only brought back memories of the foul smelling cell that had been her prison for fourteen years. Growing up in the dark, being taught behind bars, fed through a hole in a door. She had been kept like an animal, nothing more. She gritted her teeth as her fingers locked around Kid's front. Everything about this situation was wrong to her. She needed an escape.

Just as this thought had crossed the girl's mind, a powerful breeze caught around her ankles. She let out a yelp of surprise before looking down towards the distressing sensation.

That was when she let out a terrified scream.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She yelled, her grip tightening tenfold against Kid's chest.

Kid choked on his breath and glanced warily at the frightened hybrid clinging to his back, "Taking you home…"

"WE'RE FLYING!" She screamed into the fabric of his shirt, her eyes shut tight.

True enough, Beelzebub had started its ascent into the air, leaving the pair a fair few hundred feet from the grounds of the Academy.

"THIS THING HAD _WHEELS, _WHEELS DON'T FLY. HOW ARE WE FLYING?"

"WHAT IF I FALL?" She carried on screaming, "WHAT IF _YOU _FALL?"

Kid tried to remain tight lipped about the situation, but for some reason, he found it all rather amusing. The hybrid… a girl with both Reaper and witch DNA was practically sobbing into his shirt about… _flying._ Of all things.

"I won't fall." Kid suppressed the urge to laugh, "You won't either, just hold on tight."

The girl reinforced her hold further, causing the last of the air to be squeezed from Kid's lungs. Even in her weakened state, it seemed she still had the Death grip of any true Grim Reaper. That forced a slight chuckle from Kid's lips.

"What are you laughing at?" The girl sputtered into his back, "Shouldn't you be focusing on the…" she paled at the thought, "the _sky?_"

Kid smiled, "Sorry." He apologized half-heartedly, "I just wouldn't have expected that you'd be afraid of…"

"_What?_" the girl's voice darkened, "_Flying? _Well excuse _me _but I never really got out enough to _try!_"

Kid cleared his throat and lowered his voice, "You're right. Sorry."

The girl growled into his back, finding the strength to pull away slightly from his form. Now the fear was wearing off, the revulsion of this situation was setting in again. "Just get where we need to go. Quickly." She muttered, though even as she spoke, her eyes remained tightly shut.

Kid didn't think he'd ever seen a person more excited to see the ground before. As soon as the pair had touched down, the girl had practically thrown herself onto the pavement, silently praising all that was holy that she had survived the nightmare journey. Kid couldn't help but wonder if she had been afraid that he would purposely push her off. More than once during the journey he had made a sharp turn that had caused the hybrid to choke him with her hold; once he was even sure he'd heard her say, 'If I go down, so will you,' but the wind had been blowing so hard he couldn't have been certain.

Now that the white-haired hybrid had regained a little composure, she met the Gallows Manor with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"_This _is your home?" She asked in utter bewilderment, "It's so…" She tilted her head slightly, "Symmetrical."

Kid smiled, "I try my best."

The girl rolled her eyes, "That was one thing I learnt about Reapers, they're all perfectionists."

Kid frowned, "What's wrong with perfection?"

The girl smiled ever so slightly as she folded her arms behind her back, "When you're me, you learn to despise perfection."

There was a brief silence before Kid plucked up the courage to move ahead, "Come on then." He said as he passed the hybrid, still marvelling at the sheer size of the mansion.

"So do you live alone or does that masked guy live here too?" The girl asked off-handedly as they walked towards the mansion.

"He doesn't, but I don't live alone. I have two room-mates." Kid informed.

The girl quirked a brow, "Oh really, and what are their names?" She paused, then frowned, "Come to think of it, what's _your_ name?"

Kid hesitated as they came up to the front doors. That was a point; he'd never shared his name with the girl and vice versa. Strange. "Death the Kid." Kid said, "You can call me Kid for convenience."

The girl grinned, "Sure."

"And yours?"

The girl turned on him, "You want to know my name?"

Kid began to unlock the door, but glanced to the hybrid nonetheless, "I have to call you something."

The girl frowned, her yellow orbs that always seemed to swirl paused along with her thoughtful expression. She stared into the distance for a moment before snapping back into reality, "I suppose… I think they used to call me Set."

"Set?" Kid asked as he opened the door.

Set smiled, revealing her sharpened teeth, "Yes…"

* * *

Kid gave 'Set' a brief tour of the mansion, outlining where each room was so she was less likely to get lost. The white-haired girl simply stared, mouth agape half the time. In the periods she wasn't shocked into silence, she was cracking small jokes about Reaper 'obsessions' with symmetry and perfection. Kid decided to ignore the latter and instead moved on to showing her the top floor of the mansion and, more specifically, the bedrooms.

"These rooms are off-limits." Kid said, gesturing towards two closed doors, in the otherwise perfectly symmetrical hallway.

Set glanced at them, noticing the floral name tag that had been written (in what looked like a child's scruffy hand) on the door closest to her. She frowned; the handwriting seemed to spell out _Patti. _She looked to the other door that had a much neater name written on it, _Liz, _and just below that was a 'Do not enter' sign written in menacing block capitals. Set cocked her head, interesting.

"Quite the lady's man." She said, glancing from one door to the other.

Kid turned to her and frowned. He followed her gaze to the signs on the doors before he realised what she meant. "They're not…" He branched off, "They're my weapons."

"Weapons?" Set asked, bemused.

Kid rolled his eyes, "I doubt you'd believe me if I told you. Not yet, at least."

Set smiled, "Smart little Reaper, aren't you?" She placed a finger to her lips as she passed the two doors, "So, if that one is Liz's and that one is Patti's, is the next one…" She reached her hand out towards the next door, but before she could make contact, Kid had grabbed her wrist. He smiled, but she could see a mixture of emotions behind his eyes, betraying his cool exterior. Some of those emotions were not pretty. She pursed her lips and moved her hand back to her side, "Off limits too, I take it?"

Kid quirked a brow, his golden eyes burning bright with humour, "Smart little hybrid, aren't you?" He mumbled, turning his back on her, "Come on, your room is up next."

They passed the room that Set believed to be Kid's before meeting with another. This door bore no significant markings to attach it to any one person. Kid glanced towards it, "This is the guest room closest to my bedroom. I think the closer you are, the easier you will be to handle."

Set nodded. Of course the Reaper didn't trust her; that was something she would have to earn. _If _she wanted to earn it that was…

At the moment, Set was weak. She felt both physically and mentally drained. The Reaper that stood before her was – at the moment at least – superior in every way. He hadn't forced her into anything, he'd made sure to give her choice after choice in every move that they made. Still, she knew he felt uncomfortable within her presence. That feeling was mutual, she knew. She couldn't trust him and he couldn't trust her, but at the very least, on some level, each other them were willing to try.

On that note, Kid opened the door to the guest room, revealing a rather spacious scope, complete with a double bed with thick dark sheets and three plump pillows, a large oak cabinet for clothing, a chest of drawers, two bedside tables with identical lamps and a large window with a rather fascinating view of the City outside. Set ran her gaze over the expanse twice before smiling. And of course, everything seemed to be perfectly symmetrical.

"There's an ensuite bathroom through that door over there." Kid said, pointing to the door near the back of the room that Set hadn't previously noticed.

"I'm sure you'd like to wash up." Kid eyed Set a little warily, "Unless-"

"No, I do." Set said quickly, though even she detected the tremble in her voice. She'd spent her entire life locked away in a dungeon, she had barely seen the light of day and suddenly… after who knows how many years she was being given a room, a room with a proper bed and a proper bathroom. A place to wash… a window to see the sun and the moon as they rose and fell in the sky. Despite herself, Set found tears rising from her eyes, threatening to spill over. She turned away from Kid for a moment, wiping at her face in panic.

Kid noticed her change in demeanour and glanced away, "I suppose you'll need some new clothes. Until we can get you some of your own, I'm sure Patti won't mind if you borrow a set of hers, maybe some pyjamas." Kid moved towards the door, "I'll fetch you something to wear, they may be a little large." And with that, the young raven-haired Reaper left the bedroom, leaving Set on her own in the most luxurious abode she could have ever imagined.

There was an old saying, _pinch me I must be dreaming. _Set wasn't familiar with it, but she still found herself questioning her reality. It was too good to be true. With the absence of the Reaper, Set found a twin trail of tears running down her face. She quickly wiped them away before sniffling a little into her hand. Was this her life now? Was this how everything changed?

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Review! x


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